Device for preventing relative rotation of gun cylinders



Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

uurr srTss PATE NT OFFEE.

REES C. MQRGAN, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA ASSIGI OR T BE'IHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF BETHLEHEII, PENNSY'LVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOE PREVENTING BELA'IIVE RGTA'IION OF GUN CYLINDERS.

Applcatin filed November 16, 1920. Serial Nb. 424,427.

1 '0 all wizom i2f may concern:

Be it known that I, Runs C. M0RGAN, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Bethlehem Northampton County, State 01" 5 Pennsylvania, have inverited certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Preventing Relatix e Retation of Gun Cyl inders of which the follewing is u specificatmn.

In the manufacture of built-up guns, particularly in the manufacture of gu ns of large caliber by the shrinkage process, 1t hus been found difiicult t0 s0 construct a.nd assernb1e the cylinders that the liner will not creep toward the muzzle end or rotate rela tively to the tube or other cylinders, in service. The firing of the piece not only causes such a jar and coneussion that the grip of the tube on the liner may be loosened, but the efiect of the projectiles in passing through the bore is to cause the liner t0 lctate relatively to the tube, due to the tangential force exerted en the rifiing by the projectile.

It is the ebjeet 0f the present invention te arovide Ineens whereby the tube and liner are prevented trom rotating relatively t0 each other in service, and this object is attained by prcwiding the tube and liner with spaced oppositely facing shoulders near the muzzle end and placing between these shou lders a device which engages each shoulder 1n such 1nanner as to prevent relative rotational movement in the direction in which such movernent would naturally be efected as a result of the directicn of twist of the rifling, whichmay either be right hand 0r left hand.

ne embodiment 0f the inventicn will be disclosed in the follcwing description when taken with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal seetion of a built-up gun showing the position of the lcclring device t herein;

Figure 2 is a sirnilar section taken at the 1nuzzle end and to a larger scele showing the impr0ved locking nieans in position between the tube and liner;

Figure 3 is a section along the line 33 of Figure 2, this section being curved and following the contour of the outer surface of the liner;

Figure 4 is a side view of the specific form of locking1 device utilized.

While for the sake ofconvenience the in vention is illustrated and described in connection with the tube and liner of 2 built-up gun, it Wlll be understoed that it may be utilized With any tw0 adjacent cylindersei such a gun, or in het to prevent relatite rotation between any two concentric and close fitting cylinders.

The liner 10 is formcd With a iorwardly facing shoulder near its muzzle end and the tube 11 is folmed with rcversely 'acing shoulder spaced a short distance in advance of the shoulder en the liner. These sh0ulders are pr eferably annular and at right angles to the axis of the gun. Between these shoulders is positioned a locl;ing device, preferably in the form of u serrated 0r toothed ring 12 of steel harder than the steel of which the tube and liner are made and the teeth 01 serrations of the device are mashed into the opposed shoulders or" tube and liner. The teeth 01 serrations are so formed that relative rotational movement of tube and liner in: the directin of the arrows ('Fig. 8) is strongly resisted.

In the embodiment illustrated the locking device is formed t0 oppose rotational move ment of the cylinders of a gun having rifling of right hand twist but it will be obvious .that it may be formed for use with a builtup gun having rilling of left hand twist.

The ring is placed in position as the gun is assembled. A method of assembly consists in placing the ring in position on the liner, which is dsposed in a vertical position, and then lowering the heated tube over the liner and in finally exerting pressure in oppcsite directions 0n tube and liner so that the various cooperating shoulders of the tube and liner are firrnlyseated and the ring tightly j am1ned in position, its hardened teeth being mashed into the spaced reversely facing shoulders of tube and liner formed for this purpose.

The locking device may be made in various forrns and applied to the gun in various positions and the invention is there:tore n0t limited to the exact structure described and illustrated.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gun of the class described, the combination vvith two adjacenttelescoped 

